Virginia National Guard Pilot Wrongly Identified as Involved in DC Midair Collision Sues for Defamation
Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk pilot Jo Ellis listened attentively to the breaking news the evening of Jan. 29 that a helicopter had struck an American Airlines jet over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., killing all aboard both aircraft. The next day, Ellis, who is transgender, was alarmed to hear Defense Secretary Pete […]
93-Year-Old Veteran Honors Granddaughter at Army National Guard Officer Graduation
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — It’s been at least six years since the last woman graduated from the Michigan Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School. That was one motivating factor for 2nd Lt. Samantha Swiatek. The other, she said, was that her grandfather, Harold Yarrington, would be there to salute her after graduation. Swiatek graduated Officer […]
Shaving Waivers Revoked by Massachusetts Guard in Change Disproportionately Impacting Black Troops
The Massachusetts Army National Guard has abruptly rescinded long-standing medical waivers that allowed certain soldiers to maintain facial hair — a policy primarily affecting Black service members. According to an email to the state’s troops, parts of which were posted to social media and confirmed as authentic to Military.com by Guard officials, the Massachusetts Guard […]
New York National Guard Preparing to Replace State's Correction Facilities Staff Amid Strikes
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has alerted the state’s National Guardsmen to get ready to staff correction facilities if an ongoing strike isn’t resolved by Wednesday, as current prison guards walk out following record numbers of assaults by inmates and worker shortages. Staff at prisons across the Empire State began striking, walking off the job […]
Guard Troops Will Wear a Special Patch at Trump's Inauguration to Make it Clear They Aren't Police
WASHINGTON (AP) — When thousands of National Guard forces and law enforcement officers locked down Washington during racial protests and the Jan. 6 riot four years ago, the blur of camouflage and helmets made it nearly impossible to tell the difference between cops and troops. This year’s inauguration will be different. National Guard leaders have […]
Army National Guard Soldier from Indiana Dies in Non-Combat Incident in Iraq
WASHINGTON — A 34-year-old soldier serving with the Indiana National Guard in Iraq has died in a non-combat incident, the Army said Monday. Capt. Eric Richard Hart, 34, of Indianapolis, died Saturday in Iraq, the Army National Guard said in a statement. Hart was assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion of Indiana’s 38th Infantry […]
New York Governor to Deploy 250 More National Guard Troops in Subways
NEW YORK — Gov. Kathy Hochul has increased the number of National Guard troops in the New York City subway system, she announced Wednesday — doubling down on a controversial deployment that she credits with helping drive down subway crime. “It’s clear to me, as I’ve heard from many people, that the presence of the […]
National Guard Soldier Fatally Shot Ex's Boyfriend While on Drill Duty Break, Feds Say
A National Guard member is charged with murder in a shooting that triggered a lockdown at a military base in Georgia, federal prosecutors said. Natravien Landry, 25, of Abbeville, Louisiana, fatally shot a man early in the morning Saturday, Dec. 14, at his ex’s residence in Fort Eisenhower, just southwest of downtown Augusta, the U.S. […]
National Guard on Standby in Many States as America Faces Tense Election Day
Hundreds of National Guardsmen from 18 states and Washington, D.C., have been activated or are on standby on the eve of the U.S. presidential election, according to a defense official. The official told Military.com that Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, North Carolina, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Washington state have all activated small numbers of National […]
National Guard Black Hawks Reach Residents in Remote Mountain Areas Cut Off by Helene
RAMSEYTOWN, N.C. — As the Black Hawk helicopter slowly descends in Ramseytown, North Carolina, a plume of sand kicks up. When the dust settles, the sprawling sea of stones and twisted metal beams becomes clear. Several people gather near Byrd’s Chapel Baptist Church, watching National Guard members carry out essentials for them. The muddy embankment […]